License plate holder



Jun 6, 1933. B KEAGLE 1,913,082

LICENSE PLATE HOLDER Filed Dec. 27, 1952 f5 /.9 1 ?4 (4 I /Z3 )2 54 f5 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\WWW Patented June 6, 1933 Amman n. KEAGLE, or same, Emanuel;

eima a ncaabaned ec einber 27E,11'932." Sei'iaI 1N0. 649,069.

- My invention relates to supports for reinovably attaching licenseplates or the like to automobiles, although not necessarily restricted to this use. 1 1

In the automotive trade, desirable to move licenseplatesfrom one vehicle to another,- and with the usual form of attaching meansagreat dealof time and e f labor are lost in making these changes. An 10 important object of my invention, therefore,

is to provide a license plate holder which will permit rapid attachment to 1 and removal from a vehicle.

Another'objectof my invention is the provision of a deviceof this character which is simple-in construction and operation, 1 inexpensive "to manufacture, v strong and durable; if 1 Other objects andadvantagesoflmyinvention will be apparent during the course "of thefollowing}description. r

i In *tl e accompanying 5 drawing, :1 which forms a part ofthis specification and wherein i like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the same, i -jFigure 1 is an elevation of'alicense plate and holder, parts of the license plate being brokenaway i i Figure 2 is a topplan viewthereof showing the holder attached to the vehicle supsectional view F'gure 4 is a rearviewthereof,

"Figure 5is a rear elevation-10f themain of illustration is shown a preferred embodiinent of my invention, thenumeral l0 designates the main bar or body portion-ofthe license plate holder, the major portion of the body member being ofi'set between its ends,;as seen in Fi'gures Qand *3. The ends provided -with*elongated slots 11 extending longitudinally of the body meniber and adapted to correspond with the usual spaced slots 12 in a license plate 13. The usual bolts it a is" frequently 1 and tongue 19. i

x, usual elongatedslots 24. i 1 of the body member 10 are aligned and 14-secure the license plate to the body mem- +ber-10 and iextend through slots 11 and 12. I The'offset portion ofthe body member has a centrally arranged tongue or lug 15 struck up therefrom adjacent one end thereof, and Which-extends at an angle to the body me1nher away from the license plate as seen in Figure 2. The end of thetongue 15 is bent over into parallel relation with thebody member 10 and is spaced a substantial distance therefrom. A centrally arranged elongated slot 16 is arranged in the opposite end of the offset portion ofthe body member. A

plate slide hasthe same width as the body member and has a central ear 18 formed atone end and turned up at, a riglit angle,

as seen in Figures 3 and GmAtongueor lug 19 is struck up from-the otherendof the plate 17 and has its end; turnedover parallelfto the plate 17 In-assembling the slide, the tongue 19 and ear "18are passed through slot 16 and the plateiis slidably secured to the body member by means of a bolt 20 extending through an opening 20=in 1 the plate 17 andthroughslot 16 and secured to a w'asher21 which is Widerthan the slot 16*ancl slidably engages the body member at either side thereof.- -It will be seen that the washer 21 is arranged between ear v18 A-coil spring 22 is anchored at one end,

to bolt 20and at its other'end has a loop which passes through-suitable openings in the shoulder formed by the offsetportion of the body memberx Thetension of the spring 22 forces the slide 17 toward the end of slot: 16 closestto the tongue 15. The tongues"15 and19 face each other, and tongue 19 is urged toward tongue 15 by the spring: In practice itis desirable to form the tongue 19 slightly longer than tongue 15, as tongue 19 isfirst to engagethe supporting bracket,shown at 23in Figures 2 -and "3. The bracket-23 is provided with "the y In operation thelicense plate is rigidly attached to the ends ofthe body member '10 by means of bolts-14: and suitable nuts and washers. The offsetportion of'the member 10 is thenarranged in: spaced relation to the subjoined claims.

license plate 13, and the spring 22 and slide 17 are located in the space between the license plate and the offset portion of the body member 10. The spring and slide are, therefore, free to operate without interference and without danger of being impeded by any part of the vehicle. The only parts which project outwardly beyond the body member 10 are the tongues 15 and 19 and the Washer 21. To attach the license plate to the bracket or holder-23 on the vehicle, it is only necessary to insert tongue 19 in slot 24 and move the member 10 against tension of spring 22 to move the tongues 15 and 19 apart to a point where tongue 19 may be inserted in the other slot 24. To. remove the plate it is only necessary to grasp the license plate orbody member 10 and move it to the left, in the position shown in Fig- .ures 2' and 3, against tension of spring 22 until tongue 15 may be disengaged from slot 24. The tongue 19 may then be readily removed fromthe other slot 24, and the. plate is released from the Vehicle. It will be seen that the license plate may be removed from a Vehicle orv attached thereto with a single movement.

a It will be also seen that my invention is of extremely simple construction, comprising but three simple units; the body member, the slide plate with its bolt and washer and the spring 22-. The movable parts, with the exception of tongue 19 are arranged in a protected position.

In place. of attaching thetop of the license plate to body member 10 it may obviously be attached at its lower end. The slotted bracket 23 is not necessary to the operation of my holder, as the tongues 15 may obviously engagethe outer edges of an unslotted bracket, orjbe secured tovarious parts of the I vehicle, the tension of spring 22fbeing sufficient to maintain the device in the desired position.

\Vhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of'myinvention, it is to be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the Having thus; described my invention what I claim and desire to. protect by. Letters Patent is: V

1. The combination with a license plate,of a body member, means to secure thelicense plate to said body member, and means to 'removably secure the body member. to a vehicle comprising a pair of lugs carried by said body member, one of said lugs being movable, and resilient meanscarnied by said body member to urge saidilu-gs together, said resilient means being arranged between the body member and license plate;

2. The comb nationwi h a license platfe,;of

a body member having an oifset portion between its ends, means to secure the license plate to the body member, and means to removably secure said body member to a vehicle comprising a pair of lugs carried by the body member, one of said lugs being movable, and resilient means arranged to urge said, lugs together, said resilient means being arranged within the offset portion of the body member and between the body member and license plate,

3. The combination with a license plate, of a body member having an offset portion between its ends, means to secure the license plate to the ends of the body member, and means to removably secure said body member to a vehicle comprising a pair of ,lugs carried by the oii'set portion of the body member, one of said lugs being movable, and resilient means engaging said movable lug and normally urging it toward the other lug, said resilient means being arranged withinthe offset portion of the body member and between the license plate and body member.

4. In a device of the character described, a body member having an offset portion between its ends, means to secure a license plate to the ends of thebody member, and means toremovably secure the body member to a vehicle comprising a lug arranged on the offset portion of the body member, said offset portion of the body member having an elongated longitudinal slot spaced from the lug, a plate having a lug extending through said elongatedslot, said plate being slidably secured to said body member, and resilient 'means carried by said body member and engaging said plate, to urge theplate towards the first named lug.

5. The combination with a license plate,

ofa body member havingan oflset portion between its ends, means to secure the license plate to the ends of the bodyv member, and means to removably secure thebody member to a vehicle comprising a lug arranged on the, offset portion of the body member, said offset portion of thebody member having an elongated longitudinal slot spaced from the lug, a'plate having a lug extending through said elongated slot, said plate being slidably secured to said body member, and resilient means carried by said body member and engaging said plate to urge the plate towards the first named lug, said resilient means being arranged between the offset portion of the body member and the license plate.

6. In a device of the character described, abody member having an offset portion between its ends, said oflset portion having an elongated slot therein, means to. secure a 1icense plate to the ends of the body member,

a lug carried by said ofl'set portion of the body member at a point spaced from the elongated slot, a slide plate having an ear to engage the elongated slot, a lug carried by said slide plate at a point spaced from the ear and adapted to extend through the elongated slot, means to slidably secure the slide plate to the body member, and resilient means carried by the body member and engaging the slide plate to urge it toward the lu carried by the body member.

3. The combination with a license plate, of a body member having an offset portion between its ends, said offset portion having an elongated slot therein, means to secure the license plate to the ends of the body member, a lug carried by said ofi'set portion of the body member at a point spaced from t the elongated slot, a slide plate having an ear to engage the elongatedslot, a lug carried by said slide plate at a point spaced from the ear, and adapted to extend through the elongated slot, means to slidably secure the slide plate to the body member, and resilient means carried by the body member and engaging the slide plate to urge it toward the lug carried by the body member,

said resilient means and said slide plate being arranged between the offset portion of the body member and the license plate.

8. In a device of the character described,

a body member having an offset portion between its ends, means to secure a license plate to the body member, andmeans to removably secure said body member to a vehicle' comprising a pair of lugs carried by b the body member, one of said lugs being movablysupported by said offset portion of b the body member, and resilient means arranged to urge said lugs together, said resilient means being arranged within the off- 40 set portion of the body member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALBERT B. KEAGLE. 

